Russia's top medical official has said that police should seize the cars of drivers found drunk at the wheel and revoke the licenses of alcoholics.

According to Gennady Onishchenko's own estimates, of Russia's total population of 142 million, there are 2.5 million alcoholics and at least three million with serious dependence on the substance.

"A question: why don't we confiscate the licenses of those diagnosed with alcoholism and habitual drinkers?" he said, according to Interfax news agency.

The suggestion is the latest in a series of attempts to curb Russia's huge drinking problem: one in five Russian men dies from alcohol-related illnesses, according to the World Health Organisation.

While the imposition of partial prohibition similar to that attempted by Mikhail Gorbachev in the 1980s is not on the agenda, the government is taking some action. Most retailers were recently banned from selling spirits after 11pm and beer will be added to this bracket in 2013.

Mr Onishschenko even has the mildest alcoholic beverages in his sights and called time on Russian favourite 'kefir', a sour milky drink with less than one per cent alcohol content.